Audio wave &#34;pick-up&#34; for use on musical instruments



N. SANO Feb. 4, 1958 AUDIO WAVE "PICK-UP" FOR USE ON MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed NOV. 24, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG .3'

NICK SANO INVENTOR.

Feb. 4, 1958 s o 2,821,879

AUDIO WAVE "PICK-UP" FOR USE ON MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Nov. 24, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TREMOLO 4| CONTROL T SINGING MIKE NICK SANO IN V EN TOR.

BY m

United States PatentO AUDIO'WAVE PICK-UP FORUSE ON MUSICAL r INSTRUMENTS 1 Nick Siino, NewarlrhNrL, assignor to Sano Corporation, "Irvmgton, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 24,1953; Serial No. 394,130

' 3 Claims. (Cl..84-1.04)

Thiskinvention relates= generally :to'musical instruments and. more particularly-to an audio wave 'pick-up and circuit th'ereforand means for attaching the same to an instrument to reproduce the audio or-sound waves made by then-instrument with a minimum amount ofcdistortion', maximum clarity and quality'oftone.

Various: attempts have been made to attach amplifying devicesto musical instruments butiwh'ere the structure of the instrument such as -an.accordi'on,i requires that I the player accentuate or decreaseithe volumean'd tone'of the sound :thereof, it has been found that to: get.- :uniformity ofi. tonexor proper accentuation as desired i it .is' very difiicult because. of thenature-of the pickauptmea'ns which collectsand relays'the' audio or sound .waves of jthemusical instrument to some suitabletype'of amplifier:-and the *manner in whichthe pick-up is either connected to ordisposed on the musical instrument.

The present invention. seeks to OVCICOUIEthfiSCYPl'Oblems-tby providing an audio or sound wave pick-up device which-maybe attached directly to theinstrument without requiring: alteration of: the instrument TOITWith only minor alterations of the instrument, which-device. will pickup theaudio waves and convey them :to a suitable amplifier without distortion or addition of-undesirable extraneous noises.

In the: preferredtorms of the present invention the pick-up device is shown as applied. to an accordion in which the'spacedheads connected by aseparable bellows member Willi-require separate-means'in asingle circuit in each of the respective-heads thereof, which separate means are connected to each other by an electric current conducting-wire, which-wireis adapted to engageconnectors onthe-respective heads to allow for detachment. of the electric conducting wirev on separation of 'thebellows and head .members when it is. desired to disassemble the accordion. This object'is, of course, specific to the-accordion and like. structures which have separated pickaup elements whichare in the samecircuit,

I It is.a further object. of thepresent invention to-provide a dampening means for the tones .-,which .coact'with. the pick-up devices to insure the delivery offundistorted tones from the musical instrument to the amplifying device.

It .is a vstill .furtherobject of the present-invention to provide-means such as a metallic coating .either in-the accordion head-or on a separate pick-.up-arrangement coacting with the accordion head as a portion of the pick-up circuit.

Inaadditiomit is highly desirable to include means for creating a tremolo efiect which is the rapid fluttering reiteration of the accordion tones transmitted without ap parent breaks.

The'presentinvention,v by utilizing a control for an oscillator circuit coacting with the amplifier .for the sou'nd waves enables the musician to'produce this desired result.

.Withithlese and other objects in view, as may appear from "the. accompanyingspecification; the"inve'n tion"' con sistsjofvarious features ofconstructioniam combination at parts? which' will" be first described in "connection witb 2 the P accompanying drawings, showingan audio wave pick up "for-use'on musical instrumentsof a preferred form embodying-the invention, and the features forming the invention will be specifically pointed out in the claims.

'In' the drawings:

Figure-1 isa-perspective view of an accordion partly broken away showing the invention thereon.

Figure 2- is a side elevationof one of theconnecting means disposed on the accordion head.

Figurc' 3 is an end viewof the connecting means.

Figure; 4- is asside view of the male element of theconnecting means.

Figure 5 is: a partial section through several folds' of the. bel-lowsrtshowing the electrical current conducting wireyandmeansfor holding it to the folds-of the bellows.

Figure 6-is:-a:diagrarn of the pick-up circuit.

Figure 7 is an exploded view of the accordion taken from'the'bottom end thereof and showing the invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the invention mounted: onthe exterior of-one ofthe heads of the accordion.

Figure 9' is a cross section showing the means for mounting the-invention on the exterior of one of the heads Of-hlhC EIGCOIdlOH.

Referringrmore particularly to the drawings, the inventionisshown on an-accordion generally-designated 1, it being understood that while an accordion is shown that the invention may be applied to anyother type of musical instrument suitable for receiving it so as to permit amplification ot-audio waves produced by such-musical instru? ment. Thezaccordion shown in the. drawings is ofthe usual type and includes spaced heads land .3 which are connected by a bellows-4 which may bedisconnected therefrom by loosening or unscrewing whatever means such .as threaded members (not shown), etc., which may be holding the bellows to the adjacent ends ofthe'respectiveheads.

The head 2 is provided with strikingakeys 5 and includes thetreble'tone collecting chamber 7 andssound escape openings 8, while the other head 3 has buttons or keys 9 and a bass reedblock. 10, all of which is.-clearly shown in Figures. 1 and 7 of the drawings. The accordion maybeany standard make or type of which there are several easily purchasable on the open market.

The invention may be connected to. the accordion. or other musical instrument in either of two ways, it may be mounted in the treble tone collecting chamber .suchas in the accordion shown in Figures 1 and 7, or it-may be disposed and attached to the outside of the musicaluin: strument so as to communicate with the tone collecting chambers through suitable openings provided in. the head or even through the sound escape openings 8 as is herein, after described with reference to thetype of musical in: strument shown herein.

Thus Figures 1 and 7 show the pick-up means mounted inside the treble tone collecting chamber 7, as a series of spaced. microphones 11, 12 and 13, and a microphone 14 mounted adjacent the bass reed blocks 10 inthe head 3' which microphones 11, 12, 13 and 14 have their volume and tone controlled by a series of variable rheostats 15, 16, 17 and 18. The variable rheostats are also mounted in the treble tone collecting chamber 7 by means ofshafts which extend through the head 3, the suitable threaded means, such as is indicated in Figure 7 showing the 'vari; able rheostat 18, its shaft 19 and a locking nut 20. Each of the variable rheostats will be similarly connected, and this method of connection is no more fully describedbecause it is well known in the art. The shaft 19'is shown having a knob 21 to rotate the shaft for varying the control 'of the rheostat fromit's'minimum'to maximumand eacli'of-the respective rheostats have a'similanknob't'notshown) on the -ext'erior portion of the head.

The microphone 14 which picks up the bass tones is disposed in a vibration tone dampening means 22 which may be composed of spongy or other suitable material adapted for this purpose. The microphone 14 is joined to the main pick-up circuit which is disposed in the treble tone collecting chamber which circuit is hereinafter described, by means of an electrical current conducting wire 23 which extends through the bellows and is connected to the inside thereof on one or more of the folds 24 of the bellows member 4 by tab elements 25.

Figure shows the tab elements as substantially Y- shaped members the legs of which are glued to the inner surface of the folds 24 and the upstanding tab being provided with an opening 26 to receive the electrical current conducting wire 23 therethrough. It will be ob served that the wire 23 is so disposed on the folds of the bellows that it will extend and retract with the operations of the folds and it is, of course, advisable therefore to place the wire at the lower end of the bellows when in operating position because it will be under minimum movement during the usual operation of this type of musical instrument.

Figures 1 and 7 show that the housings each have female connector elements 27 and 28, respectively, which are mounted thereon by brackets 29 and 30 so that male connector elements 31 and 32 provided at the respective ends of the electrical current conducting wire 23 are adapted to engage and make contact therewith and to be easily separable when the bellows member 4 is separated from the respective head elements 2 and 3 in disassembly of the accordion.

The female connector elements 27 and 28 are shown in Figures 2 and 3 and since they are identical in construction only member 27 will be more fully described as shown in these figures. Thus female connector ele ment 27 is shown as an annular element which is carried by the bracket 29. The male element 31 for this respective female connector is also shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, as having an elongated prong portion 33 which extends or can be inserted into the female connector 27 and three circumferentially spaced clasps 34 which grasp the outer surface thereof, which type connecting elements are adapted to snugly engage each other and can be readily disengaged by manually removing or sliding the male connector element from the female connector element.

Referring to Figures 1 and 6 showing the circuit, the bass microphone picks up the accordion bass tones which tones pass by a line 35 to the female connector 28, thence through male connector 32 and the electrical current conductor wire 23 and male connector 31 to the female connector 27 in turn connected by line 36 to the variable rheostat 15 which controls the volume. The tone is controlled by a variable rheostat 16 connected into the circuit' which is decoupled from the volume control by means of a condenser 37 and resistor 37 between the rheostats 15 and 16 and the main output line 38. The tone rheostat control is also connected through a condenser 39 to a ground which functions to effect a sharp drop in tone as is desirable for expression by the musician during the rendition of a musical composition on variation of the rheostat control 16.

The main output line 38 leads through an on-off tremolo switch generally designated 40 and hereinafter more fully described to an audio output jack 41 and a tremolo circuit jack 41' having releasable connectors 42 and 42 of the type well known in the art which provide means for connecting these respective jacks to any suitable type of amplifier A and oscillator O of which there are several well known types easily purchasable on the open market, and hence these units are not more fully described herein.

The oscillator O, which is of the usual well known type of oscillator, purchasable on the open market, is connected in the usual manner of connecting such a device in an electrical circuit, in; the circuit between the on and assets off control switch and the amplifier A, so that when the switch 40 is closed the audio current will pass through the oscillator O, which will set up oscillations in the audio current, resulting in a tremolo effect of the music as it is released through and by the amplifier A.

The on-ofi tremolo switch and control 40 is indicated in Figure 6 as a 2-gang three-position type switch, it being understood that while this switch is shown that any other suitable type switch may be utilized for this purpose.

Thus the switch and control 40 is shown having spaced movable contact arms 40' and 40" adapted to be moved simultaneously for contact with their respective contact points A, B and C on the audio gang portion of the switch 40 and A, B and C on the tremolo gang portion of the switch 40. When the movable cont-act arms 40' and 40" are moved to the positions A and A no audio or sound waves can be transmitted to the amplifier and the output of the oscillator circuit 0 is brought through the tremolo line circuit to the movable contact arm 40" where it is grounded. In the positions B and B the audio or sound waves from the main output line 38 connected to the contact B pass through the movable arm 40' on the audio gang portion of the switch 40 and then to the amplifier. However, since the B contact is grounded on the tremolo gang portion of the switch 40 the output of the oscillator circuit will also be grounded. In the C and C positions since the C contact is connected to the B contact position on the audio gang portion of the switch 40 the audio or sound waves from the main output line 38 will pass through the contact arm 40 to the amplifier as in the case of the B contact position thereof. The C position on the trem"=lo gang portion of the switch 40, however, is open and accordingly the output of the oscillator will thus pass to the amplifier to produce the desired tremolo efiiect on the audio and sound Waves transmitted thereto.

Similarly, Figures 1 and 6 show that the microphones 11, 12 and 13 conduct audio waves which they receive from the treble reed bank 6 through line 43 to the variable rheostat 17 which controls the volume thereof. The tone is controlled by variable rheostat 18, resistor 44 and condenser 45 which regulate, control and limit the frequency of the tone before it is passed to the main output line 38, as above described for the bass microphone.

This circuit also allows for the tying-in of a suitable externally disposed microphone 46 which is also shown in Figure l disposed at the upper end of the accordion when it is carried in operating position by a player. This makes the external mike easily available for use in talking or singing through while the player accompanies himself with the accordion. The microphone 46 is inserted at this point in a microphone jack 47 which is connected to a variable rheostat 48 in turn connected through resistor 49 to the main output line 38. Thus, when the microphone 46 picks up audio waves created by singing or talking thereinto, the volume and tone can be con trolled by the variable rheostat 48 before it is passed to the main output line 38.

By suitably varying the rheostats 15, 16, 17, 18 and 48, it is believed obvious that the sound waves may be regulated both as to volume and tone and channeled either individually or collectively through the main output line to the amplifier (not shown) connected thereto.

In the art of instrument-making usually the heads 2 and 3, or any other tone collecting chambers on a particular instrument, will be made of wood or plastic or other suitable material. Hence, in order to complete the circuit, that is, the ground, the microphones, rheostats, etc., it is necessary to coat the inside of the treble collecting chamber with a suitable type of metal coating for providing a metal backing so that this circuit may be completed Similarly, where the pick-up circuit is encased in a non-metallic housing for attachment to the exterior of the musical instrument, it too will be coated on the inside for this purpose. Such coating means is well known in the art and since it cannot be specifically distinguished on the drawings it is mentioned herein but is not described more fully.

Figures 8 and 9 show the form of the invention when applied to the external portion of a musical instrument. In the present form of the invention the same is shown as applied to an accordion in which the pick-up circuit coacts with a sound escape opening and the direct activation of the bass microphone by the bass reed block 10.

The pick-up circuit is disposed in an elongated housing 50 which may be made of any suitable material, although it has been found that plastic with a metallic coating on its inner surface is highly desirable for such purpose by reason of the cosmetic appearance that it gives when attached to the head 2 of the accordion. In addition, this type material is less costly than a metallic housing.

The housing is provided with one open side which is closed by a removable perforated closure sheet 51 having sufiicient perforations therein especially in the central portion to permit the passage of audio waves therethrough. The pick-up circuit in the housing is not more fully described because it is identical with the circuit above described when the pick-up is to be mounted inside the housing. Hence, all that appears in Figure 8 are the external knobs 52, 53, 54, 55, and 56 for their respective variable rheostats 15, 16, 17, 18 and 48, shown in Figure 6 of the drawings.

Figure 8 further shows the location of an on-ofi tremolo switch 57 and a connecting jack 58 and its line 59 from the amplifier A, and connecting jack 58 and its line 59 to the oscillator 0.

Figure 9 shows a jack element 60 and a connecting jack 61 which is on one end of a line 36 which leads to the female connector 27 as above described for the accordion structure Where the pick-up element is inside of the tone collecting chamber. This jack element 60 and 61 provides means for collecting and conducting the audio waves received by the bass microphone into the pick-up circuit as above described.

The removable perforated closure sheet 51 will be sufliciently strong to aflix the housing to the exterior of the head 2 of the accordion. Thus, aflixed to the underside of the perforated closure sheet 51 by any suitable manner such as gluing, is a vibration and shock-resistant material such as sponge rubber 62 which covers all but an oval opening 63 therein, as is shown in Figures 5, 8 and 9. The sponge rubber is in turn aflixed similarly by gluing Or other suitable manner to the exterior of the accordion at the treble reed end thereof or on the exterior of the head 2. The head will be modified so that it will have a suitable oval-shaped sound escape opening 64 also formed therein, Which oval-shaped opening will be in substantial alignment and coincident with the oval opening in the sponge rubber element 62. Thus the sound escape opening 64 and the oval-shaped opening 63 in the sponge rubber 62 creates a passage which allows the collected tones in the tone collecting chamber 7 to pass freely into the elongated housing 50 through the perforated closure 51 where it can be picked up by the microphones 11, 12 and 13 to be transmitted through the pick-up circuit to the amplifier through the output jack 58 and line 59.

To reduce distortion and excess unnecessary noises a piece of felt 65 is affixed also by gluing or in other suitable manner to the inner surface of the treble collecting chamber 7 about the oval-shaped sound escape opening 64 formed therein when the external pick-up is attached to the head 2 in the manner above described. This mutes or controls the vibrations so that when the audio waves are amplified only the clear and undistorted tones will be heard.

It will be understood that although the preferred form of the invention shows the control for the oscillator as a part of the pick-up circuit attached to the accordion that it may be separated from the on-otf switch and placed for independent operation on the oscillator itself as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

The presence of two jacks, one for the audio and one for the tremolo circuit as shown in the preferred form is to aid clarity in representing the circuit. It is well known in the art to use a single jack with a two-conductor Wire arrangement without departing from the present invention so as to eliminate one of these jacks.

While this form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the detail of the construction as well as the precise arrangement of arts without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore it Will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement of parts shown but that they may be widely modified within the invention as defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an accordion having a pair of spaced head sections one having a treble reed block and the other having a bass reed block, a treble tone collecting chamber formed in said head section having the treble reed block, sound escape openings in said head sections communicating with said treble tone collecting chamber, and a detachable bellows connecting said head sections, the combinations with said treble tone collecting chamber of a pick-up circuit for an amplifier to pick up audio waves produced by said respective reed blocks, and an electric current conducting wire connecting said pick-up means in the head having the bass reed block to the pick-up means for the treble reed block, a connector mounted in each head adjacent the point of connection between said bellows and the respective head, said electric current conducting wire having a connector on both ends thereof disposed to detachably engage the respective connectors mounted on the heads to enable said bellows to be separated from the ead sections.

2. In an accordion having a pair of spaced head sections one having a treble reed block and the other having a bass reed block, a treble tone collecting chamber formed in s id head section having the treble reed block, sound escape openings in said head sections communicating with said treble tone collecting chamber, and a detachable bellows connecting said head sections, the combinations with said treble tone collecting chamber of a pick-up circuit for an amplifier to pick up audio waves produced by said respective reed blocks, and an electric current conducting wire connecting said pick-up means in the head having the bass reed block to the pick-up means for the treble reed block, said wire disposed to extend through said bellows, means attaching said wire to the lower end of said bellows when in operating position, and means forming separable connections with said electric current conducting Wire to enable said bellows to be separated from the head sections.

3. In an accordion as claimed in claim 2, wherein said attaching means for the Wire includes, Y-shaped tabs having legs affixed to a bellows, and said tabs each having an opening provided therein to receive said wire therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,162 Zaccagrino Oct. 25, 1949 2,295,156 Bundy Sept. 8, 1942 2,534,342 Daniel Dec. 19, 1950 2,627,555 Lubenoflf Feb. 3, 1953 

